This file is a collection of
various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of
the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as
recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's
Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at:
http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of
editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into
different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance,
the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

The comments made in these
messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy
of the information given by the individual authors.

Please respect the time and
efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these
messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these
messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

This is a publication of the Society with introductory material on
a great many topics that a new SCAdian will find useful, such as easy beginning
garb, polite forms of address for various ranks, simple period recipes, advice
on organizing a small event or demo, basic calligraphy and heraldry, and many
other things.

Devra

From: Debra Hense <nickiandme
at GMAIL.COM>

Date: November 12, 2010 12:54:25
PM CST

To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Known
World handbook bulk order

On 11/12/2010 1:40 PM, sheryl
wrote:

<<< The new Known World
Handbook is out and they are offering a discount

for bulk orders over 9 and again
over 19. I offered this locally and

have 17 books ordered.
>>>

In the days before the Internet
and the World Wide Web,

the Known World Handbook was the
best deal going.

Nowadays: why buy it?

I really don't understand the
appeal. But it also seems to

me that I'm all alone in that.

Can someone kindly tell me why
this book is worth

paying for? Is it the contents,
or a sense of having

a complete set, or support for
the organization?

Tibor

==================================

Tibor,

Why have it? Because it is
great to haul out and show to a newcomer.

Look, we even have a book that
has a lot of info about different

introductory topics that might
pique your interest.

It's great to have around the
house when you don't have access to a

private library and interlibrary
loan may take a month, and your

internet is down due to a virus
on your pc.

Call me old-fashioned but
sometimes I just like to have a book in my

hands to read.

It's my goto backup book for
when I am in a hurry. And sometimes, my

interests need to be piqued by
something new also.

Kateryn

From: SPaterson <sjpaterson
at EASTLINK.CA>

Date: November 12, 2010 12:59:18
PM CST

To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Known
World handbook bulk order

<<< In the days before
the Internet and the World Wide Web,

the Known World Handbook was the
best deal going.

Nowadays: why buy it?
>>>

Believe it or not it helps
remind me of other aspects of the SCA...the only time I ever tried brewing was
because of the KWH...(mmm... Ginger Mead - but I suggest avoiding plastic pop
bottles)

and

I love paper, tangible books
over the www any day

Bess

From: Jim Myers <jim at SCHUYLERHOUSE.COM>

Date: November 12, 2010 1:01:52
PM CST

To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Known
World handbook bulk order

Tibor,

I may have had a unique
experience, but for the first several years after I joined the SCA (at least
5), the KWHB was something I referred to frequently as I slowly absorbed all
the various aspects of SCA culture and activities. It gave me a reference for
things I was unfamiliar with, and a resource to learn how to get started in
many new things. It was also a sort of ‘link’ to the rest of the SCA, and made
me feel like I was part of something more tangible somehow. One of the first
things we pointed new people to was the KWHB.

That was back in the 1980’s,
however, and we now have unfettered access to tons of diverse information and
resources all over the internet (not all of which are completely accurate
and/or helpful – there’s a lot of crap out there). I can imagine how such a
huge volume of information (and misinformation) could be overwhelming to a new
person in the SCA. Perhaps having a succinct, easily identified and readily
available “official’ source for reliable basic information is desirable. It
certainly isn’t likely to hurt.

Eringlin

From: Ted Eisenstein <alban
at SOCKET.NET>

Date: November 12, 2010 1:35:15
PM CST

To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Known
World handbook bulk order

<<< Nowadays: why buy
it? >>>

Some us prefer hardcopy. And
items that can be read while taking a

leisurely bath, or during lunch,
or on the bus.....And for the Known World

Handbook specifically, it covers
a very broad, basic swath of what we

do, a broad enough swath that
it'd take quite a while to hunt down all

the information on the Web, even
if you did know what you're looking for,

which a lot of newer members
don't.

(Yes, I know there are Kindles
and such - hell, I've got an iPad - but,

y'know, I still prefer books.)

Alban

From: Hywela <hywela91 at GMAIL.COM>

Date: November 12, 2010 12:49:05
PM CST

To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Known
World handbook bulk order

On 11/12/2010 12:44 PM, Mark
Schuldenfrei wrote:

<<< In the days before
the Internet and the World Wide Web,

the Known World Handbook was the
best deal going.

Nowadays: why buy it?

Tibor >>>

With much respect and affection
(and not a little concern for you), Old and dear Friend, I still refer to my
old Handbook on occasion -- there's a lot of useful information in it, subjects
that I personally don't know much about, but will get asked about anyway. If,
after almost 29 years in the Society, I still have use for it, surely people
who have currently put in a few less years will find something useful in the
latest revision! And I intend to get a copy of the newest one (I have
students, after all!)

I've been in the SCA for 3 years
(and fairly active) and did not even KNOW

that there was a Knowne World
Handbook...

The previous edition, the 3rd,
came out about a decade ago, perhaps a bit

more, and went sort of
out-or-print four? five? years ago? I know I sold my

last copy two years ago (at the
Kris Kinder in the convention center near the

KC airport), and couldn't get
any more....so you probably haven't heard of it

because it stopped being sold
before you joined.

Alban, who just realized he's
got a complete set of all three editions....

From: Tara Foutch <tfoutch at
STJOELIVE.COM>

Date: November 13, 2010 11:21:48
AM CST

To: CALONTIR at listserv.unl.edu

Subject: Re: [CALONTIR] Known
World handbook bulk order

I agree. There is some darn
good information in there that I have shared with new people over and over.
There are also some good recipes in there that have gone to many dinners both
SCA and in the modern world. It really is worth owning.